Not Applicable
Not Applicable
(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for washing objects using ozone. In particular, the present invention relates to a system and method for washing objects, such as food products, in a container having water by diffusing ozone into the water in the container.
(2) Description of the Related Art
The related art has shown various methods and systems using ozone to sterilize or clean, air, water and physical objects. Illustrative are U.S. Pat. No. 5,520,893 to Kasting, Jr. et al; U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,358 to Matz and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,600,896 to Lin.
Kasting, Jr. et al shows an apparatus for sterilizing medical instruments using a water supply containing ozone sufficient for sterilization. The instruments are sterilized in a chamber having a lid. The apparatus is rendered inoperable if the lid of the chamber is open.
Matz describes a ventilation filtration kit for use with a residential dishwasher. The kit can include an ozonator which supplies ozone to the dishwasher during drying.
Lin describes an apparatus for drying and sterilizing kitchen utensils. The apparatus includes an electric heater and an ozone generator to dry and sterilize kitchen utensils. The kitchen utensils are mounted on a rack inside a cabinet. The air conduits for the ozone are connected together to form a manifold for guiding ozone from the ozone generator to the rack. The air conduits have a plurality of air outlets for distribution of hot ozone through the rack in all directions to heat dry and sterilize the kitchen utensils on the rack.
Also, of interest are U.S. Pat. No. 5,154,895 to Moon; U.S. Pat. No. 5,411,713 to Iwanaga; U.S. Pat. No. 5,427,693 to Mausgrover et al; U.S. Pat. No. 5,501,844 to Kasting, Jr. et al; U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,808 to Garbutt et al; U.S. Pat. No. 5,520,887 to Shimizu et al and U.S. Pat. No. 5,540,898 to Davidson which show various types of apparatuses for generating ozone.
Only of minimal interest are U.S. Pat. No. 1,865,433 to Daily; U.S. Pat. No. 3,448,045 to Hess et al; U.S. Pat. No. 3,823,728 to Burris; U.S. Pat. No. 4,035,657 to Carlson; U.S. Pat. No. 4,176,061 to Stopka; U.S. Pat. No. 4,347,133 to Brigante; U.S. Pat. No. 4,352,740 to Grader et al; U.S. Pat. No. 5,015,394 to McEllhenney et al; U.S. Pat. No. 5,174,905 to Shaw; U.S. Pat. No. 5,213,773 to Burris; U.S. Pat. No. 5,336,413 to van Staveren; U.S. Pat. No. 5,376,265 to Szabo; U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,330 to Delle Cave; U.S. Pat. No. 5,540,848 to Engelhard; U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,576 to Olsen and U.S. Pat. No. 5,685,980 to Patapoff et al which show various methods and apparatuses for purifying water using ozone.
There remains the need for a system and method for washing or cleaning objects, such as food, in water using ozone which can be integrated into a standard kitchen sink and which is economical to construct and use.
The method and system of the present invention uses ozone to clean or wash objects in water. The system includes a container for holding the water and the objects, an ozone generator for generating the ozone using the ambient air and a diffuser assembly for diffusing the ozone into the water in the container. The system can be used in a residential setting using a kitchen sink as the container. The ozonization unit is mounted in a cabinet beneath a sink. The diffuser assembly extends from the ozonization unit through an opening in the cabinet adjacent the sink. The diffuser assembly includes a diffuser tip connected to a flexible hose. The diffuser tip is placed in the water in the sink and the ozone is diffused into the water through the diffuser tip. The system and method allows for quick and easy cleaning of the objects in the sink using ozone. The system can also be used in a commercial setting. The container is an open topped enclosure tub and includes a diffuser plate spaced apart from the bottom of the enclosure tub. The ozone generator provides ozone to a gap between the bottom of the container and the diffuser plate. The ozone diffuses through the plate into the water in the container. The container can be provided with a rack or basket to hold the objects.
The present invention relates to a system for washing objects in a container having water using ozone, which comprises: an ozonization unit positioned adjacent to the container and having an air inlet and an ozone outlet with an ozone generator in fluid communication with the air inlet and the ozone outlet and including a control means for controlling the ozonization unit; and a diffuser assembly having an inlet in fluid communication with the ozone outlet of the ozonization unit and an outlet in fluid communication with the container wherein air, moving into the air inlet in the ozonization unit, is changed into ozone by the ozone generator and is moved out the ozone outlet of the ozonization unit into the inlet of the diffuser assembly and out the outlet of the diffuser assembly into the water in the container to wash the objects.
Further, the present invention relates to a system for washing objects in a container having a fluid using ozone, which comprises: an ozonization unit positioned adjacent to the container and having an air inlet and an ozone outlet with an ozone generator in fluid communication with the air inlet and the ozone outlet and including a control means for controlling the ozonization unit; and a wand assembly having a hose having opposed ends with one end forming an inlet of the wand assembly and the other end connected to an inlet of a diffuser tip with the diffuser tip forming an outlet of the wand assembly wherein air, moving into the air inlet in the ozonization unit, is changed into ozone by the ozone generator and is moved out the ozone outlet of the ozonization unit into the inlet of the wand assembly and out the outlet of the wand assembly wherein the diffuser tip is positionable in the fluid in the container to inject ozone into the fluid to wash the objects.
Still further, the present invention relates to a system for washing objects in a container having a fluid using ozone, which comprises: an ozonization unit positioned adjacent to the container and having an air inlet and an ozone outlet with an ozone generator in fluid communication with the air inlet and the ozone outlet and including a control means for controlling the ozonization unit; and a diffuser plate mounted adjacent a bottom of the container and having diffuser openings wherein air, moving into the air inlet in the ozonization unit, is changed into ozone by the ozone generator and is moved out the ozone outlet of the ozonization unit into the inlet of the diffuser plate and out the diffuser openings into the fluid in the container to wash the objects.
Further still, the present invention relates to a method for washing objects in a container having a fluid using ozone, which comprises the steps of: positioning an ozonization unit with a wand assembly adjacent the container, the ozonization unit including an air inlet and an ozone outlet with an ozonization generator in fluid communication with the air inlet and the ozone outlet and having a control means and the wand assembly including a hose having opposed ends with one end in fluid communication with the ozone outlet of the ozonization unit and the other end connected to a diffuser tip with the diffuser tip movably mounted adjacent the container; filling the container with the fluid and placing the objects in the container; placing the diffuser tip in the fluid in the container; and activating the ozonization unit such that ambient air moves into the air inlet of the unit and into the ozone generator where oxygen in the ambient air is converted to ozone and the ozone is moved out of the ozonization unit through the ozone outlet through the hose of the wand assembly and out the diffuser tip into the fluid in the container wherein the ozone in the fluid washes the objects in the container.
Finally, the present invention relates to a method for washing objects in a container having a fluid using ozone, which comprises the steps of: positioning an ozonization unit adjacent the container, the ozonization unit including an air inlet and an ozone outlet with an ozonization generator in fluid communication with the air inlet and the ozone outlet and having a control means; positioning a diffuser plate adjacent a bottom of the container wherein the diffuser plate has an inlet which is in fluid communication with the ozone outlet of the ozonization unit and an outlet which is in fluid communication with the fluid in the container; filling the container with the fluid and placing the objects in the container; and activating the ozonization unit such that ambient air moves into the air inlet of the unit and into the ozone generator where oxygen in the ambient air is converted to ozone and the ozone is moved out of the unit through the ozone outlet through the inlet of the diffuser plate and out the outlet of the diffuser plate into the fluid in the container wherein the ozone in the fluid washes the objects in the container.
The substance and advantages of the present invention will become increasingly apparent by reference to the following drawings and the description.